The Severn Valley Railway in preservation

History

Services on the SVRSevern Valley Railway began progressively as follows:

• May 1970: Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade. This section had been closed by BRBritish Rail or British Railways in 1963.
• May 1974: Hampton Loade to Bewdley (services as far as Highley began a month earlier). The SVRSevern Valley Railway also acquired the line between Bewdley and Foley Park, although this was only used on special occasions such as 'Enthusiasts Events'. BRBritish Rail or British Railways’s use of Bewdley Station and the Foley Park connection had ended in 1970 when onward services from Bewdley ceased.
• July 1984: Bewdley to Kidderminster. Use of the last portion under BRBritish Rail or British Railways ownership for commercial traffic from Foley Park to Kidderminster had ended in 1982. BRBritish Rail or British Railways would continue to use the existing station at Kidderminster as part of the Birmingham Snow Hill to Worcester line. As it was not feasible to share this station, the SVRSevern Valley Railway built their own adjacent station, Kidderminster Town.

Follow the links below to see a timeline of the SVRSevern Valley Railway in preservation.

1965-1969 The Severn Valley Railway Company is formed and the first locomotives arrive.
1970-1979 The SVRSevern Valley Railway opens between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade in 1970 and reaches Bewdley in 1974, while the locomotive fleet grows.
1980-1989 The SVRSevern Valley Railway reaches Kidderminster in 1984.
1990-1999
2000-2009
2010 to date
The Severn Valley Railway on the main line SVRSevern Valley Railway locomotives and rolling stock used on the main line in preservation.
Tales from the Severn Valley Sundry stories and reminiscences from the history of the SVRSevern Valley Railway.
List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway

Current Organisation

The present day Severn Valley Railway (SVRSevern Valley Railway) is made up of three companies:

• Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC, usually abbreviated to “SVRSevern Valley Railway(H)”, is the public company that owns the railway’s infrastructure. SVRSevern Valley Railway shareholders own shares in this company.
• Severn Valley Railway Company Limited, commonly referred to as “the Guarantee Company”, is the SVRSevern Valley Railway’s membership arm and provides the staff (mainly volunteers) to operate the railway. The Guarantee Company owns approximately 25% of SVRSevern Valley Railway(H). The SVRSevern Valley Railway has around 13,000 members, who are automatically members of this company (all volunteers must be members).
• Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd, “the Charitable Trust”, raises funds to support the SVRSevern Valley Railway. The ongoing objective is to raise funds for the long-term preservation of rolling stock belonging to the trust, while other recent initiatives have included funding for the SVRSevern Valley Railway’s Heritage Skills Training Academy, and arranging Heritage Lottery support for the restoration of 4930 Hagley Hall and for the SVRSevern Valley Railway Future Fund Endowment.

The Severn Valley Railway Association, “SVRASevern Valley Railway Association” is run by working volunteers with the objective of providing support to the SVRSevern Valley Railway membership, and particularly the working volunteers. It is currently proposed to merge the activities of the Guarantee Company and the SVRASevern Valley Railway Association.

Internally the SVRSevern Valley Railway is organised into a number of departments, principally as follows:

Motive Power Department (MPDMotive Power Depot)

Bridgnorth Locomotive Works

Bridgnorth Boiler Shop

Locomotive Crew

Operating Department

Train crew

Signalling

Station personnel

Booking office personnel

Permanent Way Department (P.W.Permanent Way Department)

Carriage and Wagon Department

Signalling and Telecomunications

References

Links

SVR Organisation (under ‘Consolidation…’)
SVR Charitable Trust website
SVRA website

See also

The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership